Definitions

TobyV · Post by **TobyV** » 28 Sep 2006, 17:09

The original Harris Mann sketch for the Allegro wasnt all that bad (considering the era we are talking about):

http://www.austin-rover.co.uk/images/ado67dev_06.jpg

But it was rather extensively changed whilst being productionised and became the ugly duckling we all know and most of us hate.

Of course what you really want is one of these... ultimate boy-acer Allegro (or is that a contradiction in terms? :think: )

http://www.austin-rover.co.uk/images/equipe_01.jpg

For more info on this and other classic british motors, check out the excellent http://www.austin-rover.co.uk site.

Toby

Post by **TSR2** » 28 Sep 2006, 17:22

Thats a great site isn't it... and I quite like that boy racer Allegro... but then I'm BL up my backside

Robin · Post by **Robin** » 28 Sep 2006, 17:23

Just looked on the allegro sit eand saw this in the car mart section.

Car Mart - Advertising
This service is available to both members and non-members. There is no charge to members, or for cars priced at Â£75 or less.

blanston12 · Post by **blanston12** » 28 Sep 2006, 18:32

Town wrote:How do you define what is classic british and what is not?

I will limit this definition to aircraft.

I think its pretty clear what is considered British, but what is a classic. I would think that the version in question needs to no longer be in production, and it needs to be successful in the role it was intended for. I would not limit the designation of 'classic' based on how many were built.

Consider the cases of the Fairey Battle. While this aircraft met its specification, it was obsolete the day they were introduced and when the war started just a couple years, the enemy swept it from the sky in droves. It may have found some limited success in other roles (trainers and target tugs) but over all I would not consider it a classic.

DispatchDragon · Post by **DispatchDragon** » 29 Sep 2006, 01:16

Sorry to take it back to cars

But for me - this was the all time AFFORDABLE "classic british car"

Leif

Oh yes BTW the Fairey Battle should be considered a Classic if only for the fact that it DID meet all specifications laid down by the Air Ministry and as Joe pointed out was obsolete the day it was introduced - somethings never change

Nigel H-J · Post by **Nigel H-J** » 29 Sep 2006, 09:33

Agree with Leif, the original design of the Mini was a classic, (passed my driving test in one).

This is also a true British classic in every sense of the word (my own opinion)

Quite a number of these were also exported to the States and many are still raced to this day!!

http://www.turnersportscars.co.uk/

My father owned one in the Sixties and was one of the fastest built, hence I could only drive it when accompanied by one of my parents.........Still going strong to this day....Oh! if only I had the money to buy it back!!!! :sad:

petermcleland · Post by **petermcleland** » 29 Sep 2006, 11:24

I drove the first Mini in Africa from Nairobi to Durban and back :roll:

Post by **Garry Russell** » 29 Sep 2006, 11:30

Hi Peter

That's fascinating....did it overheat out there ?

Garry

Town · Post by **Town** » 29 Sep 2006, 11:41

Okay chaps

Moving the thread a little further on (and back onto aircraft). There are plenty of good (classic) british aircraft but what in your opinions doesn't make the grade, and why?

Gordon

AndyG · Post by **AndyG** » 29 Sep 2006, 12:36

Town wrote:Okay chaps

Moving the thread a little further on (and back onto aircraft). There are plenty of good (classic) british aircraft but what in your opinions doesn't make the grade, and why?

Gordon

Gordon,

I think you have used the right word there, "opinion". The point I was trying to make with the Austin Agro link is that one persons piece of junk is anothers pride and joy, except in very exceptional cases; the Mini is one (unlike, say, the Austin 1100), the Spitfire is another and so on.

Take, for example, Concorde. Looked at objectively, it was a total failure; it made few sales, lost money hand over fist and ultimately has had little influence on what has followed - yet everybody considers it a classic! Why? And much the same can be said about the Trident, yet nobody here would deny it's classic status.

It's been suggested that the Battle should not be thought of as classic, because of it's well documented obsolescence; but the Battle did influence some of the 'classic' Fairey products that followed, at least to an extent, so surely that must give it some status. And the early B-17s were a complete failure, yet they will be given the same iconic status as the later models; so is the Avro Manchester a failure, or a classic - and the Lincoln?

Is age a definition of 'classic'? If so, where do we draw the line? Is the Jaguar now a classic, but the Tornado not yet one? And are the 'proper' Harriers classics, but these big American things not?

Just to make it clear, nothing I have put here is aimed at anybody in particular. Gordon has started an interesting debate, I thought it might be worthwhile getting everybody thinking so we can come up with 'our' definition, set the bar officially and avoid some of the more unpleasant posts of recent months.

ATB (as Dave would say)

AndyG

Classic British Flight Sim

Definitions

Re: Definitions